CPT code 37246: Arterial angioplasty, initial artery2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $1,746.53 for 37246 nationally in the office and $308.29 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $1,517.04–$2,402.21.

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

What 37246 covers

This code covers balloon dilation of a narrowed artery through an open or percutaneous approach. Interventional radiologists, vascular surgeons, and other qualified physicians may perform it in a hospital or outpatient setting. The code includes imaging and radiological supervision and interpretation needed to guide angioplasty within that artery. It applies to arterial sites outside the separately coded lower-extremity occlusive-disease, coronary, and intracranial services.

Report 37246 for the first artery treated; use 37247 for each additional artery treated in the same session. Count arteries, not lesions, and document the treated vessel, approach, balloon treatment, and any additional arteries. If a stent is placed in the treated artery, its angioplasty is generally included in the stent service. The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued is paid in full and others at 50%; bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery, and co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.

This summary was written with AI assistance from CMS physician fee schedule data and checked against the CMS billing rules shown here. Rates on this page come directly from CMS files.

Where 37246 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 of 109 payment localities

37246 rates by state

Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.

How the 37246 rate is calculated

Each of 37246’s three RVUs is multiplied by a geographic index (GPCI) for the payment locality, added up, and multiplied by the conversion factor. Drag the indexes or enter a ZIP to see what moves the rate.

Payment rules and modifiers for 37246

The CMS indicators that decide how 37246 is paid alongside other services.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 50

37246 compared with similar codes

How to choose

37247Balloon angioplastyAdditional artery

37246 covers the first treated artery; 37247 covers each additional artery treated in the same session.

37248Venous angioplastyInitial vein

37248 is for balloon angioplasty of the first vein. Use 37246 for an artery within this code family's scope.

37236Arterial stentFirst treated artery

37236 describes arterial stent placement. When angioplasty is performed in the artery receiving the stent, it is generally included in the stent service.

Codes related to 37246

Related codes aren’t interchangeable: bill the code that matches the service performed.

Where these rates come from

FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indexes and the conversion factor. Services without a published rate are labeled, never given a made-up amount. Amounts are Medicare allowed amounts before claim adjustments: not a patient’s bill or a commercial rate.

CMS RVU26D · effective Oct 1, 2026 through the day before Jan 1, 2027

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates